Making insoles



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MAKING INSOLEs Filed Nov. 2e, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 1 foss /Y :702]6070 mmm l R. H. JQHNSQN MAKING INSOLES Filed Nov.` 29, 1943 @Emy 23s E946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 23, "1946 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE Y v 2,404,731 Y MAKING msoLEs y Ross H. Johnson, Indianapolis, Ind. Application November 2.9, 1943,4 Serial No. 512,217

A (C1. 12-146l 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to `the method of making insoles for shoes which include an insole formed of thin cellular or sponge rubber or asimilar material having a soft body which is adapted to form the inner portion of the insole.

A feature resides in cutting the insole out of a single piece of sponge rubber while the sponge rubber is held compressed within a die so that when the sponge rubber is released from the die, the insole is formedand merely requires a finishing top and bottom surfacing covering. It is also a feature .of my insole to provide a means of detachably securing the same in the shoes ofthe wearer, thereby providing the advantage of the insoles being changed from 'one pair of shoes to another whenever it is desired. I

It is afeature to provide an insole with an inner soft flexible body portion which is preshaped to the wearers foot and the body of which is soft and yet active to stimulate the action ofthe muscles and circulation in the foot by compressing andexpanding as the insole is walked on by the wearer, thus causing'the muscles in the foot to function ratherV than be subjected to a hard or rigid flat insole in a shoe.

A further feature resides in making an insole wherein the inner body is formed of sponge rubber and in which the same `is a single piece to form a heel cushion, a longitudinal and a metatarsal arch support for the foot, all formed in a single piece of sponge rubber to provide a` resilient iiexible body for the insole.

In making my insoles in the manner which will be more fully hereinafter set forth, I provide a single piece insole having the several features of the heel cushion, the longitudinal arch support and the metatarsal arch support, all in a single insole, or I may provide the same in a combination of the metatarsal support associated with a heel cushion support or in the form where metatarsal arch supporters are provided.

It is also an important feature to provide an insole which is made by slicing or cutting the same from a died out form of sponge rubber which is held under the die by compression while it is being cut in the desired shape in accordance with the shape of the die in a simple and inexpensive manner. This method does not require heat moulding of the insoles but is rather carried out by a cold process which is quickly accomplished in an economical manner.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my insole in which the heel cup, longitudinal and metatarsal arch supports are formed.

Figure 2 illustrates another form of -my insole where a metatarsal support is formed.

Figure 3 illustrates still another form where the metatarsal and longitudinal arch supports are formed therein.

Figure 4 is the bottom portion of Figure 1 showing the attaching means for the insole.

` Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure l. I

Figure 6 is a section on the line 5 6 of Figure l.

Figure 7 is a section on the line I--T of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the portion of the die apparatus for forming my insoles out of sponge rubber or the like showing the cover die in open position.

Figure 9 shows the die for forming the insoles closed and in the position it would assume at the finishing stroke of cutting one of my insoles.

Figure 10 is a detailed section of a portion of vthe die shown in Figures 8 and 9.

opening II in the die I2.

After the died out body I0 is placed in the die opening, the cover member I4 of the die-head which carries the top die member I5 is closed and locked by the lever IE which hasa tongue end Il which projects overthe free `edge of the cover I4 tohold the cover closed with the die member I5 compressed into the` sponge rubber body I as illustrated in Figure 10. f

The die-head I3 is adapted to support the lower die member I8, whichV is positioned inl the bottom of the die-head. i

When the cover I4 is closed, asillustrated in Figures 9 and l0, by the lever I5, the sponge rubber body I0 is compressed into the lower die I8. Thus, the `sponge rubber body, Iliis` held compressed by the die members Iand I 8 in the opening Il of the die-head.

The die-.head I3 is slideably supported in the guides I9 so that the die-head I3 may be slid in the direction of the arrow shown in Figures 9 and 10 against the operating endless knife 2l] (only a portion of which is shown). The knife 26 operates at a high speed and is kept very sharp on the edge 2| so Ythat as the die-head I3 with the spongeV rubber body I is moved toward the knife 2B, the knife will slice through the sponge rubber body cutting the same to form the insole A. It is desirable that the insole body IIJ be immersed in water before it is inserted inthey die-head ISso that whenthe die-head is operated-against the knifey the water will form a lubricant to permit the knife 22 to make a clean cut through the' body I0 to form the insole A with the desired rtars'al arch, the longitudinal arch, and the heel cup as illustrated in Figures 1, 5, 6 and 1.

The making of the insole. A is completed by securing a thin sheet of leather 25 or other similar material to the top of the rubber body II! of the insole. Then a body sheet 26 of cloth or other material is attached to ythe bottom of the insole after which a longitudinal adhesive strip 21 is applied along the bottom of the insole A. It is desirable that the adhesive strip 21 be formed with adhesiveV material on both sides so that one surface may be adapted directly to the bottom of the insole While the other surface is covered with a removable strip 28 to protect the outer adhes ive surface of the strip Z1 until it is desired to attach the insole A to the insole of -a shoe. Thus, the insoles A may be sold to the customer with a strip 28 covering the adhesive of the securing strip 21, and then all the customer needs to do is remove the strip 28 Vas'illustrated in Figure 4 and place the insole in the shoe, whereupon the pressure of the foot will cause the strip 21 to secure the insole .in the proper place. If the user of the insoles wishes to remove the insoles A, he may do so at any time by carefully lifting the insole, starting at the heel of the insole and removing the insolefrom the shoe, whereupon the strip 21 may still provide a means of attaching the insole A into another pair of shoes. The adhesive material 29 on either sideof strip 21.is of a nondrying character and remains to hold the insole in proper position in the shoe. Thus, the strip 21 provides the means of removably supporting the insole A within the shoe.

The guide members I9 are formed with slots through which the knife 20`s1ides to permit the die-head I3 to be moved toward the cutting edge of the knife in the operation of cutting the insole A. This operation of cutting an insole is Yvery simple and may be quickly accomplished by the knife 20 slicingV the compressed rubber body I 0 to form the same in the desired shape with the projecting surfaces as illustrated in the various figures in accordance with the shape of thesurface of the dies ISand I8. The die I2 may be removed and reversed so as 4 plished a new manner of easily forming an 1nsole in the desired shape which may be used in a persons shoes to cushion thesole of the foot, support the metatarsal arch, as well as the longitudinal arch, and provide a heel cup'to provide a soft flexible insole which will shape itself to the foot and provide a means of exercising the muscles owing lto the sole fitting formation of the innersole and to the `compressible andexpandable nature of the insole. l f

It is not necessary to cover thebottom of the sponge rubber body of the insole. However, it is :desirable that the top should be covered with a thin exible piece of smooth-faced material so that the wearers foot will slip easily into ther Y shoe. The bottom of the insole may be uncovered except for the longitudinal adhesive attaching strip which has a non-drying adhesive surface for attaching the insole to the shoe.

I have also found that my insoles may outlast the wear of the ordinary shoes and, theref fore, itis desirableto remove the same andf put these insoles in the new pair of shoesjif the wearer desires. Furthermore, the wearer may change the insoles Afrom one pair of shoes to an;-

V other whenever he desires.

In my insoles it is possible totake the impresl sion of anyones foot with any suitable moulding material. Then this mould is used as a die to form the body of the insole by cutting or slicing the same from a blockof material as hereinbefore set forth to provide an insole which ts`each individuals foot. Furthermore, the making of these insoles may be done economically and in a comparatively short time. y,

A further feature resides in securing the top material such asleather'orotherfacing materials'to the sponge rubber beforel it is'diedyout,

thus when the machine slicesv out the insole, it-

is complete and ready for use, 'I'his method of attaching the facing material for the top ofthe insole is of primary importance in making 4in:y soles economically 4andit reduces operations and increases the speed of production.

Iclaim: Y f

' 1. The method of making an insole forsh'oes, which comprises slicing the same froma block of sponge rubber while it is compressed between upper and lower dies, which dies are formed into the desired shape to provide metatarsal and lngitudinal arch supporting means and a heel cp socket.V

2. The methodof making an insole for shoes, comprising forming a vsoft spongy body portion by slicing the same from a block of material while compressed between die means, thereby forming the body of the insole inl a ysinglesli'ce from the block and. covering the top 'of' the sponge body insole with a sheet of thin leather 'andi se# curing a strip of two-faced non-drying adhesive with an outer removable covering longitudinally to the'bottom -of said insole for removably attaching vsaid insole in the wearers shoe. Y

' 3. The method of making an insolev for shoes,

1 vRoss HJJoHNsoN, 

